This is the biggest opportunity of your entire career. You've been the fifth guy behind a big four of Doc, Ray, Kevin and Paul. You've shown growth, bettered your game, and flirted with stardom. However, lets be realistic, you were playing with three future HOF players and a future HOF coach. They were your training wheels. You've never had to lead, never had to be THE MAN, and now this is your challenge.

Danny and the organization has shown incredible loyalty to you and now you are in a position to be the face of a franchise and the leader of a new Big 3. Danny has positioned us well with 9 first round picks over the next five years. After this upcomming year, we will have cap space to sign an impact free agent.

But we are asking you to be patient. You were extremely fortunate to win a championship during your second NBA season and been featured on a contending team for every year since. This upcomming year will test you more than anything you've ever done.

You can chose to rush back from injury, push this team to conform to your style, and push management to build an instant contender by signing your BFF Josh Smith.

OR

You can be patient. Opt to stay out for the first half of the year to better yourself, heal your knee and improve your game. You have the perfect opportunity to improve the one part of your game where you are limited, your shooting. And by staying out, you are helping the Celtic's chances of reaching the lottery. On the sideline, you can distance yourself from a losing team, or you can be a mentor to the young guys. Lead with your attitude and teach them about how you see and process the game.

Rondo this is a big year for you, and your destiny is in your hands. You have the chance to be the face of the most storied and winning franchise that is positioned for many more years of success.

The point is that its dumb to simply hate on Rondo and say he can't lead. He's never had the opportunity. This is his chance. The Celtics did not just turn into the Bobcats overnight, but rather (through Dannys freaking magic) have become the next OKC/GSW/HOU. We have a ton of assets including our own and a chance to build something that can keep getting better.

Lets give Rondo a chance. I want to see him take his time recovering. I want to see him working with his teamates and taking the lead as the face of the franchise. We've seen him mature as he develops, and he certainly has the chance to turn into the next PP. Hope he does!

This is the biggest opportunity of your entire career. You've been the fifth guy behind a big four of Doc, Ray, Kevin and Paul. You've shown growth, bettered your game, and flirted with stardom. However, lets be realistic, you were playing with three future HOF players and a future HOF coach. They were your training wheels. You've never had to lead, never had to be THE MAN, and now this is your challenge.

Danny and the organization has shown incredible loyalty to you and now you are in a position to be the face of a franchise and the leader of a new Big 3. Danny has positioned us well with 9 first round picks over the next five years. After this upcomming year, we will have cap space to sign an impact free agent.

But we are asking you to be patient. You were extremely fortunate to win a championship during your second NBA season and been featured on a contending team for every year since. This upcomming year will test you more than anything you've ever done.

You can chose to rush back from injury, push this team to conform to your style, and push management to build an instant contender by signing your BFF Josh Smith.

OR

You can be patient. Opt to stay out for the first half of the year to better yourself, heal your knee and improve your game. You have the perfect opportunity to improve the one part of your game where you are limited, your shooting. And by staying out, you are helping the Celtic's chances of reaching the lottery. On the sideline, you can distance yourself from a losing team, or you can be a mentor to the young guys. Lead with your attitude and teach them about how you see and process the game.

Rondo this is a big year for you, and your destiny is in your hands. You have the chance to be the face of the most storied and winning franchise that is positioned for many more years of success.

This is the biggest opportunity of your entire career. You've been the fifth guy behind a big four of Doc, Ray, Kevin and Paul. You've shown growth, bettered your game, and flirted with stardom. However, lets be realistic, you were playing with three future HOF players and a future HOF coach. They were your training wheels. You've never had to lead, never had to be THE MAN, and now this is your challenge.

Danny and the organization has shown incredible loyalty to you and now you are in a position to be the face of a franchise and the leader of a new Big 3. Danny has positioned us well with 9 first round picks over the next five years. After this upcomming year, we will have cap space to sign an impact free agent.

But we are asking you to be patient. You were extremely fortunate to win a championship during your second NBA season and been featured on a contending team for every year since. This upcomming year will test you more than anything you've ever done.

You can chose to rush back from injury, push this team to conform to your style, and push management to build an instant contender by signing your BFF Josh Smith.

OR

You can be patient. Opt to stay out for the first half of the year to better yourself, heal your knee and improve your game. You have the perfect opportunity to improve the one part of your game where you are limited, your shooting. And by staying out, you are helping the Celtic's chances of reaching the lottery. On the sideline, you can distance yourself from a losing team, or you can be a mentor to the young guys. Lead with your attitude and teach them about how you see and process the game.

Rondo this is a big year for you, and your destiny is in your hands. You have the chance to be the face of the most storied and winning franchise that is positioned for many more years of success.

You egotistical jerk, stop hogging the ball and going for assist stats instead of wins. Shoot the ball when you are open and don't dribble out the shot clock looking for an assist. Keep the ball moving.

And on defense keep your man in front of you instead of always trying to steal the ball from behind.

This is the biggest opportunity of your entire career. You've been the fifth guy behind a big four of Doc, Ray, Kevin and Paul. You've shown growth, bettered your game, and flirted with stardom. However, lets be realistic, you were playing with three future HOF players and a future HOF coach. They were your training wheels. You've never had to lead, never had to be THE MAN, and now this is your challenge.

Danny and the organization has shown incredible loyalty to you and now you are in a position to be the face of a franchise and the leader of a new Big 3. Danny has positioned us well with 9 first round picks over the next five years. After this upcomming year, we will have cap space to sign an impact free agent.

But we are asking you to be patient. You were extremely fortunate to win a championship during your second NBA season and been featured on a contending team for every year since. This upcomming year will test you more than anything you've ever done.

You can chose to rush back from injury, push this team to conform to your style, and push management to build an instant contender by signing your BFF Josh Smith.

OR

You can be patient. Opt to stay out for the first half of the year to better yourself, heal your knee and improve your game. You have the perfect opportunity to improve the one part of your game where you are limited, your shooting. And by staying out, you are helping the Celtic's chances of reaching the lottery. On the sideline, you can distance yourself from a losing team, or you can be a mentor to the young guys. Lead with your attitude and teach them about how you see and process the game.

Rondo this is a big year for you, and your destiny is in your hands. You have the chance to be the face of the most storied and winning franchise that is positioned for many more years of success.

Step up!

Rondo is way to big for this league. He has too many years to finnally grow up.That said >>> the only story you'll see is Rondo... me me me.....What a waste !!!

This is the biggest opportunity of your entire career. You've been the fifth guy behind a big four of Doc, Ray, Kevin and Paul. You've shown growth, bettered your game, and flirted with stardom. However, lets be realistic, you were playing with three future HOF players and a future HOF coach. They were your training wheels. You've never had to lead, never had to be THE MAN, and now this is your challenge.

Danny and the organization has shown incredible loyalty to you and now you are in a position to be the face of a franchise and the leader of a new Big 3. Danny has positioned us well with 9 first round picks over the next five years. After this upcomming year, we will have cap space to sign an impact free agent.

But we are asking you to be patient. You were extremely fortunate to win a championship during your second NBA season and been featured on a contending team for every year since. This upcomming year will test you more than anything you've ever done.

You can chose to rush back from injury, push this team to conform to your style, and push management to build an instant contender by signing your BFF Josh Smith.

OR

You can be patient. Opt to stay out for the first half of the year to better yourself, heal your knee and improve your game. You have the perfect opportunity to improve the one part of your game where you are limited, your shooting. And by staying out, you are helping the Celtic's chances of reaching the lottery. On the sideline, you can distance yourself from a losing team, or you can be a mentor to the young guys. Lead with your attitude and teach them about how you see and process the game.

Rondo this is a big year for you, and your destiny is in your hands. You have the chance to be the face of the most storied and winning franchise that is positioned for many more years of success.

Step up!

Rondo is way to big for this league. He has too many years to finnally grow up.That said >>> the only story you'll see is Rondo... me me me.....What a waste !!!

You egotistical jerk, stop hogging the ball and going for assist stats instead of wins. Shoot the ball when you are open and don't dribble out the shot clock looking for an assist. Keep the ball moving.

And on defense keep your man in front of you instead of always trying to steal the ball from behind.

yeah! stop handling the ball jerk, who do you think you are? A point guard??

You can be patient. Opt to stay out for the first half of the year to better yourself, heal your knee and improve your game. You have the perfect opportunity to improve the one part of your game where you are limited, your shooting.

Why is this year more "perfect" an opportunity than past years/offseasons to improve his shooting? You really think RR becomes a solid shooter at this stage of his career -- when 30 is a lot closer than 25? I agree he can be a spectularly entertaining player to watch -- and sure, ocassionally he takes over games. But we live in a moneyball era, and, while stats aren't everthing, they can't be ignored either. When you focus not on style/optics but actually look at statistics, Rondo is an inefficient, turnover-creating mediocrity.

You can be patient. Opt to stay out for the first half of the year to better yourself, heal your knee and improve your game. You have the perfect opportunity to improve the one part of your game where you are limited, your shooting.

Why is this year more "perfect" an opportunity than past years/offseasons to improve his shooting? You really think RR becomes a solid shooter at this stage of his career -- when 30 is a lot closer than 25? I agree he can be a spectularly entertaining player to watch -- and sure, ocassionally he takes over games. But we live in a moneyball era, and, while stats aren't everthing, they can't be ignored either. When you focus not on style/optics but actually look at statistics, Rondo is an inefficient, turnover-creating mediocrity.

......and who is too high maitenance and emotionally instable to continue investing so much time, energy, and money into.

This is the biggest opportunity of your entire career. You've been the fifth guy behind a big four of Doc, Ray, Kevin and Paul. You've shown growth, bettered your game, and flirted with stardom. However, lets be realistic, you were playing with three future HOF players and a future HOF coach. They were your training wheels. You've never had to lead, never had to be THE MAN, and now this is your challenge.

Danny and the organization has shown incredible loyalty to you and now you are in a position to be the face of a franchise and the leader of a new Big 3. Danny has positioned us well with 9 first round picks over the next five years. After this upcomming year, we will have cap space to sign an impact free agent.

But we are asking you to be patient. You were extremely fortunate to win a championship during your second NBA season and been featured on a contending team for every year since. This upcomming year will test you more than anything you've ever done.

You can chose to rush back from injury, push this team to conform to your style, and push management to build an instant contender by signing your BFF Josh Smith.

OR

You can be patient. Opt to stay out for the first half of the year to better yourself, heal your knee and improve your game. You have the perfect opportunity to improve the one part of your game where you are limited, your shooting. And by staying out, you are helping the Celtic's chances of reaching the lottery. On the sideline, you can distance yourself from a losing team, or you can be a mentor to the young guys. Lead with your attitude and teach them about how you see and process the game.

Rondo this is a big year for you, and your destiny is in your hands. You have the chance to be the face of the most storied and winning franchise that is positioned for many more years of success.

Step up!

Not lead? The man single handedly carried us in the playoffs in 2012 and nearly got us into the finals when everybody else played less then mediocre. Let's keep a good guard and he hope he gets even better which he can.

i'm not aware that stats aside from FT% are so revealing of this mediocre game you speak of, LB. plus rondo's closer to 25 years old than 30.

bp

Look, I'll cop to formerly being a RR lover -- used to think he was likely the first or second best PG in the Assocation. But I've seen reams and reams of stats mentioned on this forrum uncercutting that view. At some point you've got to face reality. I'm ready for the Cs to part ways with him. And we can quibble about age, but he'll be 28 by the time returns to the lineup. Obviously for a lot of players that's still a long way from the downward slope of his career -- but it's NOT a long way from the point at which most players' games are no longer improving. Hence my skepicism he'll markedly improve his shooting either from the field of the FT line. Just don't see it happening at this stage.

This is the biggest opportunity of your entire career. You've been the fifth guy behind a big four of Doc, Ray, Kevin and Paul. You've shown growth, bettered your game, and flirted with stardom. However, lets be realistic, you were playing with three future HOF players and a future HOF coach. They were your training wheels. You've never had to lead, never had to be THE MAN, and now this is your challenge.

Danny and the organization has shown incredible loyalty to you and now you are in a position to be the face of a franchise and the leader of a new Big 3. Danny has positioned us well with 9 first round picks over the next five years. After this upcomming year, we will have cap space to sign an impact free agent.

But we are asking you to be patient. You were extremely fortunate to win a championship during your second NBA season and been featured on a contending team for every year since. This upcomming year will test you more than anything you've ever done.

You can chose to rush back from injury, push this team to conform to your style, and push management to build an instant contender by signing your BFF Josh Smith.

OR

You can be patient. Opt to stay out for the first half of the year to better yourself, heal your knee and improve your game. You have the perfect opportunity to improve the one part of your game where you are limited, your shooting. And by staying out, you are helping the Celtic's chances of reaching the lottery. On the sideline, you can distance yourself from a losing team, or you can be a mentor to the young guys. Lead with your attitude and teach them about how you see and process the game.

Rondo this is a big year for you, and your destiny is in your hands. You have the chance to be the face of the most storied and winning franchise that is positioned for many more years of success.

Step up!

Rondo is way to big for this league. He has too many years to finnally grow up.That said >>> the only story you'll see is Rondo... me me me.....What a waste !!!

i'm not aware that stats aside from FT% are so revealing of this mediocre game you speak of, LB. plus rondo's closer to 25 years old than 30.

bp

Look, I'll cop to formerly being a RR lover -- used to think he was likely the first or second best PG in the Assocation. But I've seen reams and reams of stats mentioned on this forrum uncercutting that view. At some point you've got to face reality. I'm ready for the Cs to part ways with him. And we can quibble about age, but he'll be 28 by the time returns to the lineup. Obviously for a lot of players that's still a long way from the downward slope of his career -- but it's NOT a long way from the point at which most players' games are no longer improving. Hence my skepicism he'll markedly improve his shooting either from the field of the FT line. Just don't see it happening at this stage.

What a combo at crunch time! A PG who has the ball all the time and is poor at hitting FTs. It is a huge liability to try to hide. Its not strategically or fundamentally sound basketball and its been glossed over for far too long That in itself is reason enough to let him go.

Agree but it sounds like tanking a season. I will be happy with 35-40 wins. Lottery doesn't guarantee an impact free agent or a franchise changing player.

Well said! Why the hell would the Celtics management "tank the season" for the lotto? Either DA does not believe in himself and his abilities to build a team either through the draft or free agency. Or he believes in fools gold and they will get the top spot in lotto and be in position to draft the next Jordan(aka Wiggins). Dumb strategy!

You egotistical jerk, stop hogging the ball and going for assist stats instead of wins. Shoot the ball when you are open and don't dribble out the shot clock looking for an assist. Keep the ball moving.

And on defense keep your man in front of you instead of always trying to steal the ball from behind.

yeah! stop handling the ball jerk, who do you think you are? A point guard??

i'm not aware that stats aside from FT% are so revealing of this mediocre game you speak of, LB. plus rondo's closer to 25 years old than 30.

bp

Look, I'll cop to formerly being a RR lover -- used to think he was likely the first or second best PG in the Assocation. But I've seen reams and reams of stats mentioned on this forrum uncercutting that view. At some point you've got to face reality. I'm ready for the Cs to part ways with him. And we can quibble about age, but he'll be 28 by the time returns to the lineup. Obviously for a lot of players that's still a long way from the downward slope of his career -- but it's NOT a long way from the point at which most players' games are no longer improving. Hence my skepicism he'll markedly improve his shooting either from the field of the FT line. Just don't see it happening at this stage.

He will be 27 next season. Unless you think he is going to be until after the ASB. If you acutally look at the stats last year was an improve over the season before in FG% and it PPG have been on a three year trend up. He also had a career year in FT%, and TRB. And you want to discuss advanced stats, he had his best year or second best year in every single catergory. He also has had an above average PER(player efficency rating) every year besides his first year in the league. You can't say with an honest face that his statistically defiency haven't improve in the recent years. You are the one using your eye here.

You know, I think we will keep rondo. He's fun to watch, and I'm sure they'd like to sell a few seats next year. The more I think, the more likely I think he stays until mid season, then they trade him.

The point is that its dumb to simply hate on Rondo and say he can't lead. He's never had the opportunity. This is his chance. The Celtics did not just turn into the Bobcats overnight, but rather (through Dannys freaking magic) have become the next OKC/GSW/HOU. We have a ton of assets including our own and a chance to build something that can keep getting better.

Lets give Rondo a chance. I want to see him take his time recovering. I want to see him working with his teamates and taking the lead as the face of the franchise. We've seen him mature as he develops, and he certainly has the chance to turn into the next PP. Hope he does!

rondo has had a chance for 7 years now to develop a painfully basic jumper and elevate his free throw shooting above 70%. he's scarcely gotten it above 60%. as the big 3 got older and older, rondo did not manage to step up and give us the scoring punch that we needed from him.

moreover, he did not transform the "potential" we heard so much about into reality as our big 3 core aged and DESPERATELY needed up tempo buckets, run-outs and MOST OF ALL: consistent individual defense from rondo, not the gamble-for-stats that we've seen for 6 years.

so i'd say, and this is not "hating" but objective analysis, that the prospects for rondo sudenly "leading" the team are very poor. he has yet to find motivation to become a good basic fundamental point guard and he was playing with 3 HOF's- what more motivation couldyou possibly have on a team now with much less chance to "win it all"???